


Being the Guardian

by MiaBrown



Series: guaranteed, I can blow your mind [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Identity Reveal, Ladynoir July, Ladynoir July 2020, ML Writer's Challange, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Surprise Ending, developed writing skills by the second chapter, on every. damn. chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaBrown/pseuds/MiaBrown
Summary: Being the Guardian all the while saving the city as Ladybug just don’t seem compatible. Marinette has to choose but either way, her actions will have consequences; which can be even more serious than she realizes at first, since her relationship with Chat Noir is on the line.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: guaranteed, I can blow your mind [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056419
Comments: 21
Kudos: 137





	1. What the Guardian will do

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by the amazing 1kiss4surrender!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being Ladybug and being the Guardian are two entirely different things. So Marinette needs to step up her game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miraculous Writers Writing challenge on Tumblr - Week 3.  
> Prompt: “Magic like this does not come with instruction manuals. You’ll have to wing it, but I believe you can do it.”

“Magic like this does not come with instruction manuals. You’ll have to wing it, but I believe you can do it.” Master Fu said with an all-knowing smile spread across his face, before placing the Miracle Box carefully into Marinette’s hands. 

Or at least that’s what she thought it should have gone down. She wanted to believe he passed down this enormous burden to her like this, calmly after much consideration, and sufficient preparation. Knowing this is the wisest thing to do, a straight path to victory. Not in the middle of a fight, out of desperation. Not because it was their only hope not to lose instantly, but because this was what he truly wanted, what he thought would be the sensible thing to do.

But it didn’t happen that way. There was desperation and pain and failure. Ladybug has failed them. She has failed them. It was her fault for acting recklessly. So, she had to make it right. 

Master Fu's image in her mind was right about one thing, even if he wouldn’t have used these exact words. She’ll have to wing it. She suspected from the start, that being a hero and being the Guardian were two entirely different things. However, her suspicions were confirmed at the very next Akuma attack. Because the villain – a freshly unemployed bartender – wasn’t after their Miraculouses. As it seemed, his only goal was to reveal her identity, so Hawkmoth could lay hands on all the Miraculouses. And while being revealed was an option they had to calculate with and watch out for before, this time the risk was much higher. 

The fight consisted of nothing more but she and Chat Noir protecting her identity till they finally could escape, and with the help of Bunnix, prevent the Akumatization in the first place. The following fight and the one after that weren’t any different. It was mere luck they survived. But she wasn’t only Ladybug anymore. She needed more than luck.

As far as Marinette could see it, it was time for her step up her game, and start to act like the guardian she was, instead of only the Ladybug she was a few weeks ago. It was time to stop winging and start to scheme. 

First thing first, they needed new allies in the event of an emergency. After Hawkmoth revealed the identity of all of her former companions, except for Chat, she couldn’t risk putting them back in that much danger. So, she had to recruit new friends in case they would need backup from time to time. Alix was an obvious choice for the bunny miraculous, and Ivan would be an excellent candidate for the bull one, while Nathaniel could hold the fox miraculous. But the friends she trusted the most, who have already proven themselves couldn’t get back their power. Unless… Marinette had reasoned with herself and reached a conclusion. If she mixed up the Miraculouses, there should be no elevated danger. If she gave Nino the dog miraculous, while she trusts Alya with the bee, they should be safe. They could emerge as new heroes, they would get a second chance. 

It was a plan for emergencies, but it had to be formed. The next step was to avoid aforementioned emergencies. 

Being a hero and being the Guardian are two entirely different things. So Marinette needed to behave differently herself. For the greater good. It didn’t matter how the patrols spent with Chat were the highlight of her days, or how much she adored fighting alongside him. The times of going with a half solid plan, only to be overwritten by the new ground-breaking revelation caused by her Lucky Charm were over. In her new position, she couldn’t afford to be reckless and make any more mistakes than she already had. She couldn’t afford to only react to her enemy’s actions anymore either, she needed to initiate. And she knew what exactly she could do. She’ll need Max’s help and a lot of time and determination. And it won’t be as spectacular and exciting as Akuma fighting, but this is what needed to be done. With a good dataset about Parisians and the sufficient facts at hand, she could start to search for Hawkmoth’s identity by the elimination method. Exclude all females and everyone under 175 cm. There’s so much a miraculous can change about your appearance, and even after that, you have a personality. She just needed the right pieces of information to find her foe. And to collect the knowledge, she only had to convince Alya, that instead of trying to unmask Ladybug, she should do the same with Hawkmoth. With the Ladyblog dedicated to this sole purpose, it would only be a matter of time. And until than…

Being Ladybug and being the Guardian will have to be two entirely different things. They both require a full person. So Marinette did what a sensible adult in her place would. She searched for a successor. 

And it didn’t take long till she find it. She was perfect for the job. She was reliable and hard-working. She had the experience they needed. She would look after them and protect them. Both of them. Both Adrien and Chat Noir. So, after her permission, Marinette gave Kagami one more of her most precious things. She gave her her miraculous.


	2. What the Guardian is doing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Being the Guardian: After becoming the Guardian Ladybug had to acknowledge how holding two roles with that much power just didn't seem compatible. She also forged a plan for bringing down Hawkmoth systematically. A plan that included giving her Miraculous to a successor. Below can be found Chat Noir's thoughts on the matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LadyNoir July 2020 - Day 12: Falling - I swear this is Ladynoir is spirit
> 
> Many thanks to 1kiss4surrender for being my beta again!

Chat Noir would have never thought that one day, seeing the ladybug Miraculous holder would only stir his stomach unpleasantly. No love-struck eyes, no fireworks, not even a warm feeling caused by her sheer presence. Seeing her made him feel nothing but grieve and emptiness. It wasn’t her fault, really, but she wasn’t Ladybug. She couldn’t compare.

When Sachie first appeared, Chat didn’t want to believe his eyes. The red mask looked out of place on her face even though it was framed by the same black hair as before. She informed him about the change of plans and handed him a printed letter before attempting to fight the akuma alone. Chat didn’t stop her. He cataclysmed the letter and vanished. Only later did he reappear to Plagg’s fierce persuasion to fulfil his duties as the protector of Paris. Probably that was what Ladybug did, too. It didn’t make her methods any easier on him. 

After that, it took two weeks until he was able to put on his superhero suit again. He went to patrol without much enthusiasm only to find an unknown sneak superhero on their meeting spot. She was waiting for him for the past weeks, since he destroyed her letter. 

The conversation wasn't pretty. 

She explained her reasons but for Chat, it wasn't adding up. Eventually, they parted promising, that this was only a temporary solution until Hawkmoth was defeated. In other words, for God knew how long. 

It's been six months since that night but Chat still didn't have a partner. Or not one he could have smoothly work with. Sachie was quick to jump into conclusions, to act impulsively. Her Lucky Charms were much more straightforward than Ladybug’s, oftentimes leading to combat situations where their team scored victory only by overpowering their enemies. Chat had no doubt that Sachie was learning and growing, both as a superhero and as a person, her sharp edges starting to smooth by time but she wasn’t Ladybug. Creativity and teamwork weren’t second nature for her, not to mention that the new duo lacked the blind trust he had with his Lady. 

He didn't even know when had those words rolled off his tongue the last time. 

Patrols and akuma fights lost their appeal, the sparkling enjoyment of fighting by Ladybug’s side, of trusting her with his life. Chat Noir was still willing to sacrifice himself as part of the greater plan, although he acted much more considerate about it. 

The fact, that the new Ladybug was frighteningly reminiscent of his ex-girlfriend didn’t help either. He couldn’t really put his claws on the exact details or similarities but it kept lurking in the corner of his mind. It wasn’t like he departed on bad terms with Kagami, but they simply didn’t fit like Ladybug and Chat Noir did. Like they did once, a long time ago, that felt like another reality. 

However, as they say, time is the essence of many things. And after two years of missing his beloved partner, the Guardian, Chat came to terms with the events. Mostly. 

Despite the rough start he learned to work with Sachie and with the other heroes the Guardian occasionally sent to help them as well. The appearance of said heroes always stirred up the unpleasantness in Chat’s stomach though, reminding him of the existence of his partner, hiding in the shadows, living and enjoying her life without even thinking about him, plotting and scheming in unreachable distance. 

After much blame and regret, Chat has gotten used to the status-quo and presumed that this is how things were supposed to be, sentencing him to loneliness for eternity to fulfil a greater clause. There was really nothing more, he could give up for the greater good. At least that’s how he felt until their last raid. 

Adrien had a bad feeling in his gut when the coordinates had been forwarded to the whole Miraculous team. He resisted the urge to stay away or to sabotage the plan as the heroes approached the Agreste mansion. He fought his mind, that kept saying, _‘no, this can’t be, Father can’t be Hawkmoth’._ He battled against his pounding heart and his upsurging tears as the man was led away in handcuffs, shouting the name of his wife until all there was left was its constant echo in Adrien’s ears. 

Ladybug was nowhere to be found. 

She wasn’t with him at the victorious – wicked – moment and she wasn’t with him after either. She wasn’t the one holding his trembling body, she wasn’t the one whispering soothing words into his ears despite having no idea, why was he so wrecked. She wasn’t the one because she wasn’t there. Just like at any minute in the past two years, she wasn’t there. 

Adrien grieved the treachery of his father, buried her dead mother once again and mourned the loss of his partner who wouldn’t come, as he fell into pieces in Multimouse’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is coming on the 31st of July (prompt: Home) with an actual LadyNoir scene.


	3. What the Guardian did

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir didn’t see his Lady since she gave up her Miraculous two years ago to concentrate on her Guardian duties. After the defeat of Hawkmoth, he has a surprise visitor. 
> 
> LadyNoir July 2020 - Day 31: Home

Two years was an incredibly long time. By this time Adrien should have been able to let go of his feelings towards Ladybug but he couldn't do it. Even if he'd never see her again, there was always going to be a part of him that wouldn't stop loving her, no matter what. During his time alone he learned that much. It was just as useless fighting it as defying gravitation. He tried it many times but whenever he made a little progress, her magical magnetic field lured him back twice as powerful as before. It may had to do something with being Ladybug and Chat Noir, destruction and creation, yin and yang, two halves of a whole; but ultimately it was more than that. It wasn't the Miraculous' power that forced him to keep coming back for more. 

So two years was an incredibly long time. Still, Chat couldn't forget the little song he composed and sing every now and then. More now than then. Even when after defeating their enemy a week ago, transforming and sitting on a rooftop had lost all its meaning. He enjoyed holding onto the familiarity of putting on his disguise and murmuring the stupid song. The familiarity of the night air brushing against his skin. The familiarity of the vacant spot next to him. It wasn’t a joyful feeling but it helped him hold it together. It helped him to crawl out of bed, to battle the masses of reporters chasing after him, to carry his burden all alone without falling into pieces publicly. 

“Little kitty on the roof, all alone without his Lady,” he sang to himself, to the city, to fill the void inside him. 

“Hey, you!” The small voice startled him, making him choke on his words. It sounded so familiar. 

He turned slowly in the direction of the voice, in fear of seeing an empty roof, proof to his senses playing a trick on him. It wouldn’t have been the first time. But there she was, standing only a few meters from him, lifting her hand in a shy wave. Ladybug. The one and only. 

Chat jumped to his feet in surprise, staring at the phenomenon with wide eyes. He mustered his partner, trying to take in and fixing every inch of her perfect, long-seen picture in his mind. The red suit and mask that didn’t appear oddly against her form, her brilliant bluebell eyes, her shining hair that she no longer wore in pigtails. She has changed but appeared just as impeccable as he remembered her to be. To her sight, the unpleasant feelings habitant in his stomach vanished at once.

“You came back?” he gulped, voice not louder than a whisper. 

“I came home,” she breathed, eyes shining brighter than the stars. 

_What even was home?_ Chat didn’t know anymore. He clearly didn’t have one. 

He only felt his world spin around its axis as the conversant aching after her presence in his heart eased. But he was holding onto that feeling for so long, it’s absence felt like the rug being pulled out from under his feet. It was chaos where nothing made sense anymore. 

“Why?” he forced, unshed tears burning his eyes. 

“I missed you so much, Chaton!” she replied, lifting her arm in a tentative touch. 

Chat stood still, fighting his urge to lean into her embrace. “Why now?”

“I thought we agreed, it will only last until Hawkmoth is defeated.” Her lips curled up in a sorrowful smile.

“We didn’t agree on anything. I needed you! I needed you like never before, and you weren’t there! You were never there!” he cried. 

“I’m afraid if I said I was sorry it would seem meaningless, however genuine I was about it,” she told him seriously, letting her arm fall back to her side. “But I really am. I’m so sorry, Chat. My heart broke every day that I couldn’t spend with you as Ladybug. However, I was never far away. Please, can I show you?” she pleaded with her eyes. 

Chat didn’t want to give in so quickly, didn’t want to understate how much she hurt him, how abandoned he felt for these past years. He wanted to stand his ground firmly but how could he say no to her? He never could, so out of a binding, ancient habit, he nodded. 

“Tikki, spots off!” she said and her suit vanished in a swirl of light pink light. 

In Ladybug’s place, there was standing none other than Marinette. 

Adrien’s reliable classmate Marinette. 

One of Adrien’s best friends Marinette. 

Marinette, who spent night after night goofing around with Chat Noir. 

Marinette, who has always listened carefully to Chat Noir’s every tiny problem.

Trustworthy part-time hero Multimouse Marinette, who he was always so uncommonly in sync with. 

Sweet, caring Multimouse Marinette, who held Chat’s trembling body after their victory, perfectly unaware of the situation’s real implications. 

The one and only Marinette, who stopped by Adrien’s house every day since that doomed night. 

“You were there,” was all he managed to say before hugging her tightly, sobbing into her shoulder. 

“All along, mon minou. All along. I’m so sorry you couldn’t know,” she said, running her fingers up and down on his back soothingly. 

If Adrien was dreaming he never wanted to wake up. After missing Ladybug for so long, this was just too perfect.

They were standing like this, desperately holding onto each other for a while. Finally, Marinette was the one to break the silence. “I’d like to be your partner again. That is, if you’ll have me.”

Chat frowned his eyebrows behind his mask and let go of her to look her in the eyes doubtfully. “For how long?”

“For eternity,” she ensured him with a smile, squeezing his hands tightly. 

The dormant ladybugs in Chat’s stomach came to life once again, fluttering with the long-experienced intensity. 

A small nod was all he could manage but it was perfectly enough. They have always understood each other even without half-words. He knew that she really meant all of it, that she genuinely wanted to make it right, to restore their balance and partnership. 

* * *

Marinette knew that making up didn’t mean sweeping things under the rug. She understood that Chat was still hurt, still insecure and angry but he was also willing to take a step forward; to reconnect with her and rebuild the trust between the two of them her actions so severely damaged. She accepted that healing would be a long-drawn and burdensome process, but she would be there to support him every step of the way; until they’d walk out of the trial of fire together, with their bond hardened. It couldn’t have been any other way. 

Because two years was an incredibly long time. It was long enough for her to realize the mistake she was making by distancing herself from everyone she trusted and sticking to solving everything on her own. Reappearing as Multimouse gave her back the sense of belonging to her team, even if they didn’t know the real role she was playing. Eventually, teamwork was the ultimate stepping stone to finally find and defeat their enemy. Hawkmoth, who turned out to be none other than Adrien’s father. And while Marinette supported her friend with everything she had in herself, cared for him deeply and a part of her heart would have always belonged to him, no matter what, two years was a long enough time for her to realize, just how blind she was before. Because she didn’t wake screaming from a nightmare where she lost Adrien, she was woken by the crushing weight of sorrow after losing her partner. Her days didn’t change significantly for the better or worse by seeing her classmate because the overwhelming absence of Chat Noir muffled every other sensation. By losing him she finally learned, what she couldn’t see otherwise, how the connection between the two of them was something extraordinary, something magical to treasure. That ordinary love, whatsoever genuine and soul-felt, couldn’t compare. That it didn’t matter if he has moved on or after her actions would never trust her with his heart ever again, she loved him infinitely, for eternity. 

However, now of all times wasn’t the right one to vocalize her feelings. It could wait until some trust was restored to their relationship. It had to. Now was the time for her to be overflowingly happy because her request has been heard and accepted. And she was, oh how delighted she was. They could be partners again! There was nothing more she could have wished for at the moment. 

“Thank you!” she whispered to him with a small smile on her face as she pulled him back into the hug. Marinette felt like she would drift away in relief if she didn’t hold onto him firmly. 

“Marinette.” Chat called her name tentatively, as if searching for words. “You should… I need to… Claws in.” Green light of magic swept over him, removing his leather suit and leaving soft, familiar redolent fabric in its place. 

Marinette stiffened to the touch of his bare skin and unconsciously pulled away to take a better look at him. “You didn’t have to do this, Chat,” she wanted to say but the words got stuck in the lump in her throat. She put her hands to her mouth, defying her hitching breath before tears started to well in her eyes. 

Because who else could have it been, if not Adrien Agreste himself. 

And Marinette was absolutely not ready to learn, how close they have actually been all along. How Chat’s panic reaction after defeating Hawkmoth, finally aware of the situation’s real implications, made just too much sense. 

Because he had to combat and take down his own father. 

Unquestionably alone. 

Because she wasn’t there for him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://miabrown007.tumblr.com/) or come and join the [Miraculous Fanworks](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) Discord server for a cool and supportive community of Miraculous fans!


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